Title

Kneller Villas

Description

Semi-detached three-bay two-storey house, built 1864, one of pair, with entrance to west gable. Part of former six-bay two-storey bridewell, in use until 1912, subsequently in use as married quarters for military personnel, and later in use as residential accommodation for Garda Síochána. Pitched artificial slate roof with rendered chimneystacks, timber bracketed bargeboard to gable, timber bracketed eaves course and cast-iron rainwater goods. Snecked cut limestone walls with flush dressed limestone quoins. Carved limestone plaque with lettering in relief 'Kneller Villas' to centre of pair of structures. Square-headed window openings with replacement timber windows, flush dressed and tooled limestone block-and-start surrounds and cut limestone sills, those to first floor of front elevation sharing continuous sill course with house to east. Camber-headed opening to west elevation with painted render surround and timber panelled half-glazed door. Set back from street and sharing rubble limestone boundary wall to east, with render coping. Square-profile rendered piers to entrance with cast-iron double-leaf gates.APPRAISAL:This house, together with its pair, is an unusual feature in the townscape of Fermoy. It occupies a prominent site, beside the courthouse and facing onto a green, and provides a suitably striking feature. This is due, in part, to the snecked limestone elevations and well executed surrounds, which are rare in the town and lend the building an air of austerity offset by the timber eaves course and bargeboards. Unusually the entrance is placed in the gable end, a feature which is mirrored in the adjoining house.